Ash-pit.



' PATENTED JULY 17, 1906. S. T. MOKNIGHTV ASH PIT.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV.25, 1905.

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attunu SQUIRE T. MoKNIGHT, OF PUXICO, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR ()F ONE-THIRD TO ALBERT BOND, 0F PUXICO, MISSOURI.

ASH-PIT.

Specification of Letters Pate Patented July 1'7, 1906.

Application filed November 25,1905. Serial No. 289,100.

IT0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, S UIRE T. MCKNIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Puxico, in the county of Stoddard and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in'Ash-Pits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ash-pits designed especially for use in connection with locomotiveboilers, and has for its objects to produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device of this character in which the ashes may be readily discharged from the pit or receptacle, one wherein the sections composing the bottom of the receptacle are connected for simultaneous movement and one wherein the sections may be securely fixed in active or discharging positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient means for regulating the draft throughlthe ash-pit to the combustion-chamber and one wherein the draftcontrolling members or dampers are connected for simultaneous movement in relatively reverse directions.

With these and other objects in'view the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a detail view in side elevation of a portion of a locomotive-boiler equipped with devices embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly in section, the section being taken centrally and longitudinally through the ash-pit. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a locomotive-boiler having a fire-box or combustion-chamber 2 and an ash pit or recep tacle 3 underlying said fire-box and provided with a bottom 4, these parts, except as hereinafter explained, being of the usual or any appropriate construction and material and adapted in practice to perform their ordinary functions.

The bottom 4 isin accordance with the invention composed of a series of movable leaves or sections 5, having correspondinglybeveled overlapping side edges 6 and provided with end trunnions 7 8, rotatively journaled in the side walls of the receptacle 4, the trunnions 8 being projected beyond the adjacent wall and provided with squared or other non-circular terminal portions 9, on which are fixed crank arms or levers 10, provided at their outer end with wrist-pins 11, journaled in a connecting bar or element 12,

which connects all of the arms 10 for simultaneous movement in moving the sections 5 to open or closed position, as more fully hereinafter described.

Suitably pivoted at a point between its ends, as at 13, to the furnace-wall or other support is an operating-lever 14, having its lower end connected by a member or link 15 with the adjacent end of the connecting element 12, said. lever being equipped with a pawl 16, adapted for engagement with a toothed rack 17 to lock the lever against movement with the sections 5 in open or closed position.

Pivoted at the ends of the pit or receptacle 3 and forming the end walls thereof are gatevalves or dampers 18, having end trunnions 19, journal'ed in the walls of the receptacle, the trunnions being projected beyond one of said walls and provided with square or other non-circular terminal portions 20, on which are fixed crank-arms or levers 21, having at their outer ends circular bearing portions or Wrist-pins 22, ournaled in a connecting bar or element 23, adjacent to the forward end of which is pivoted one end of an operating rod or element 24, provided at its rear free end with a hand portion 25, the rod being angularly bent adjacent its free end to produce engaging portions or shoulders 26, adapted for engagement, respectively, with one end of a guide member or strap 27, terminally engaged with the lever 14. It is to be noted in this connection that the dampers 18 are set at substantially right angles to each other, thus adapting them for relatively reverse movement to open or closed position.

In practice the bottom 4 normally stands in position, as illustrated in Fig. 2, with the sections 5 closed and their beveled edges 6 overlapping each other, thus presenting a continuous unbroken bed upon which the ashes rest. Under these conditions if it be desired to discharge the ashes from the pit the lever 14 is shoved forwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 1, thus moving the connecting-bar 12 rearwardly and operating the crank-arms 10 for moving the sections 5 to open position. When the locomotive is in motion the draft through the ash-pit to the fire-box may be regulated by manipulating the rod 24 to adjust the dampers 18, it being understood that a very strong draft may be obtained by moving the rod to open the forward damper 18 and close the rear damper, under which conditions the rear stop portions 26 of the rod will be in engagement with the strap 27. When, however, a moderate draft is desired the parts are adjusted to the position illustrated herein with the rear damper open and the forward damper closed and the front stop portion 26 of the rod 24 in engagement with the strap 27.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a simple device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view, it being understood that in attaining these ends minor changes in the details herein set forth may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is In a device of the class described, an ashreceptacle having a bottom and side walls and provided at its ends with openings or ports, pivoted dampers arranged for closing said ports and constituting the end walls of the receptacle, said dampers having their pivoted trunnions projected beyond one side wall of the receptacle and of non-circular form, crank-arms fixed upon the non-circular portions of the trunnions for moving the dampers, the latter being arranged at substantially right angles to each other, a connecting-bar, pivotally engaged with the crank-arms, a rigid operating member pivota-lly connected with the bar, said element being angularly bent adjacent its free end to produce a pair of engaging portions, and a guide-strap sustained adjacent the rear end of the receptacle and having the operating member disposed for movement therein, said. member being adapted for operation to move the dampers in reverse directions to open and closed position and the engaging portions being designed for engagement with the strap to lock the parts in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SQUIRE T. MCKNIGHT. Witnesses A. A. JoNEs, JNo. D. MOULDER. 

